Guilford gets first win vs. Bridgewater since 2006

Matt Pawlowski threw for two
touchdowns and ran for another as Guilford beat Bridgewater for the
first time since 2006. That's also the last time Guilford won more
than two ODAC games.
Guilford athletics photo by Zachary Morgan

Matt
Pawlowski's 10-yard touchdown pass to Nick
Mearite with 7:13 left in regulation lifted Guilford
College to a 23-20 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football win
over Bridgewater College in a rare Thursday night contest.

The Quakers (3-3, 2-1 ODAC) erased deficits of 14-6 and 20-15 to
score their first victory over the Eagles (4-2, 1-2 ODAC) since
2006 and the first home win for second-year coach Chris Rusiewicz.
The contest also marked Guilford's first game on a Thursday since
1966.

Guilford's defense limited Bridgewater to a single
fourth-quarter touchdown and held the Eagles to three-and-out on
the possession after the go-ahead score. Both teams used up their
remaining timeouts on the Quakers' next possession, which saw
Guilford sustain the drive with a fourth-and-1 conversion near
midfield.

With both teams lacking timeouts, Guilford punted the ball back
to Bridgewater, but the Eagles mishandled the fair catch. The
Quakers' Joseph
Pearson recovered on the Eagles' 16-yard line with 2:11 to
play. Guilford took a knee on three successive plays to run out the
clock and move to 3-3 for the first time since 2008.

Pawlowski, a freshman, passed for 258 yards with no
interceptions and had a hand in all three Guilford touchdowns, two
passing and one rushing. His 1-yard keeper on third-and-goal gave
the Quakers a 15-14 lead with six seconds left in the third
quarter, their first of the game.

Bridgewater answered with a 2-yard touchdown run by Ryan Green
Ellis with 10:39 left that restored a 20-15 Eagles' edge.
Quarterback Willie Logan made three of his 14 pass completions on
the drive, including two for first downs. Logan finished with 245
passing yards and also ran for 22 yards and two second-quarter
touchdowns that opened a 14-6 Bridgewater advantage.

Bridgewater's Jacob Wright led all ground gainers with 88
rushing yards on 17 carries. Teammates Nick Wimer and Michael Colee
both made three catches to lead the Eagles and Salem Nganga paced
the defense with a team-high 14 tackles.

Guilford's Mearite made a game-high five catches and also caught
a two-point conversion pass after his go-ahead fourth-quarter
score. Rookie Adam Smith had
four grabs for 59 yards, including a 22-yard, second-quarter
touchdown catch. Reigning ODAC Defensive Player of the Week Robert
Smith made a game-high 14 tackles, including a sack, for the
sophomore's seventh straight game with 10 or more stops. Satiir
Stevenson and JerMario
Gooch ended Bridgewater threats with interceptions deep in
Guilford territory.

The Quakers return to action Oct. 20 when they visit league
rival Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va.